Heating and cooling system for calutron



June 28, 1960 A. M. STARR HEATING AND coouuc SYSTEM FOR CALUTRON Filed Feb. 21, 1946 fi hri Yl/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII H u. m a m m. w 4 ,fl w, 9.

. 7 5 2 2 4 w 4 4 0 w 5 .I 9 0 1 4 1 P 1 ATTOR 2,943,195 Patented vJune 28, .1960

HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR CALUTRON Allan M. Starr, Piedmont, Califi, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Filed Feb. 21, 1946, Ser. No. 643,410

9 Claims. (Cl. 250-413) .This invention relates to apparatus for mounting and heating or cooling a member adapted to be. positioned in an evacuated vessel and more particularly, to heating or cooling and positioning means adapted to support and to heat or cool the liner of. an evacuated calutron tank. The term calutron relates to an apparatus for treating a polyisotopic substance to produce a plurality of segregable masses wherein the distribution of the constituent isotopes has been altered so that one of the masses produced is enlarged with respect to at least one isotope. The purpose of such treatment is to obtain a product characterized by an enhancement of the percentage ofa selected isotope. More particularly, a calutron is defined in the art as any apparatus or machine where isotope separation or enrichment is achieved on a large scale yielding commercially useful quantities ofv one or more isotopes, by appropriate separative action on gaseous ions with electrostatic or electromagnetic means or combinations of them.

The foregoing definition. has been taken from Us. Patent No. 2,709,222, which issued to Ernest 0. Lawrence on May 24, 1955. In that patent, the theory of isotopic separation and the. principles of operation of a calutron are fully set forth, and willnot here be repeated.

Generally stated, however, such a calutron comprises essentially an-evacuated tank disposedin a strong, sub stantially uniform magnetic field and an ion transmitter and receiver locatedwithin the tank. It has been found desirable in such calutrons to employ anelectrostatic shield or liner extending between the transmitter and the receiver and it is one object of the present invention to provide means for suitably mountingand heating or cool ing such a liner while maintaining the. necessary high vacuum.

As will be. apparent to anyone skilled in the art, during the operation of such a calutron, a beam of ions will extend in a generally arcuate path from the ion transmitter to the ion receiver.

It has been found desirable to surround suchbeam by a suitable electrostatic shield or liner which is subject to the heating influences of the beam and, consequently,

apparatus must be provided for the heating or cooling of said liner. It further has been found desirable during the initial pumping down of the calutron vessel to heat the liner to facilitate attaining the high degree of vacuum required.

It is, accordingly, one object of this invention to provide suitable means for mounting and for heating or cool ing the electrostati'cshield: or liner of a calutron.

It is another object of this invent-ion to provide means for mounting an object within an evacuated vessel and means for heating or cooling said object while maintain ing said object in an atmosphere of greatly reduced pressure.

Further objects and advantages appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a horizontal 2 section through a calutron tank having, a liner mounted in accordance with the present invention. 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section through one of the ports of the tank shown in Fig. 1. 2

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a calutron tank 10 adapted to be maintained at a high vacuum of the order of 10* to to s Hg and shown here as generally arcuate inform. The tank It is provided on its inner side with a pair of openings 11. Within the tank 10 is mounted, by means herein: after described, a liner 12 extending generallyfrom one endv of the tank 10 to the other end and being corrc spondingly arcuate in form. The calutron includeslan ion beam transmitter 13 and an ionbeam receiver; 14 between which is projected by means fully described in said patent of Ernest 0. Lawrence, a beam of ions-of the material being segregated. The liner. 12 is adapted to enclose said beam during its travel substantially. from the beam transmitter 13 to the beam receiver 14.. The

liner 12 is accordingly suitably provided with a heating or cooling coil or coils 15 in good heat relation there 7 with through which water or other suitable heat transfer fluid is circulated in order to regmlate the temperature of the liner. Furthermore, the coils 15 being directly secured to the liner 12, serve the additional purpose of supporting and positioning the liner.

Referring more particularly to Fig.- 2, it will: be noted that in each of-the. openings 11 in the tank I ll-there is welded a ring 16 carrying a flange 17 forming a port. A plate 18 is provided and is adapted to be secured to the flange :17 by suitable means such as the studs 19.: The

plate'lS may carry gaskets 20 of neoprene or the like, adapted to maintain the vacuum seal of the port;

The plate 18 is provided with a central bore 21 and on the inner side thereof has a partial bore 22 forming a seat in which is welded or otherwise suitably secured, one end of an inwardly extending tubular member 23. Theother end of the tubular member 23 is weldedv or otherwise suitably secured to a plate 24. A rod 25 exteriorly threaded on both of its ends is positioned within the tubular member 23 and has its outer end extending through the aperture 21. A cap 26 is threadably secured to the outer end of the rod 25 and a washer or gasket 27 is provided for maintaining a vacuum s'ealto the plate 18. To an inner endofthe rod 25 is thread ably secured a second plate 28. The plate 24isprovided with a pair of radially extending opposed bores 29 and 30 and with a 'pair of axially extending bores .31 and 32 communicating with said first-mentioned bores. The plate 28 is similarly provided with a pair of opposed radially extending bores33 and 34 and with a communieating pair of axially extending bores 35 and 36. When properly positioned, the axially extending bores 31 and 32 of the plate 24 are registered with the axiallyextending bores 35 and 36 of the plate 28' to form a connection. Either of the plates 24 or 28 may be" provided with grooves 37 for retaining gaskets 38 or neoprene or thelike, adapted to maintain the vesselin vacuum-tight seal. The plate 18 isprovidedwith an inlet opening 39 and an outlet opening 40 which maybe internally to assist in maintaining the high degree of vacuum required.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the liner 12 is positioned within the calutron tank solely by means of the coils 15 which serve not only to heat or cool the liner 12, but also to support it in its intended position.

In the event it is desired to disassemble the calutron, it is necessary only to remove the cap '26 and the rod 25, thus freeing the plate 28 from the plate 24, upon which, by removal of the studs 19, the plate 18 may be removed. The liner 12 may then be retracted from the tank 10 through either of its end walls 45.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for supporting and heating or cooling a member within a closed vessel having an aperture in said vessel, comprising closure means adapted to removably seal said aperture, a tube fitting rigidly secured to said closure means and adapted to be positioned within said vessel, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said member, said coil being coupled to said fitting, and intake and discharge tubes communicating with said fitting and with bores in said closure means whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

2. Apparatus for supporting and heating or cooling a member within a closed vessel having an aperture in said vessel, comprising closure means adapted to removably seal said aperture, a tubular member rigidly secured to the inner side of said closure means and extending into said vessel, a first plate rigidly secured to 4 member rigidly secured to the inner side of said closure means and extending into said vessel, a first plate rigidly secured to the inner end of said tubular member, a rod disposed within said tubular member and extending through a bore in said closure means, a cap threadably engaging the outer end of said rod, a second plate threadably carried by the inner end of said rod, radial and axial bores in each of said plates, said axial bores being adapted to align to form intake and discharge passages, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said member, both ends of said tubing coil being secured to the radial bores of said second plate, intake and discharge tubes communicating with the radial bores of said first plate and with openings in said closure means whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

5. In a calutron having a tank structure and an inner liner structure, a port in said tank structure, a plate the inner end of said tubular member, a rod disposed within said tubular member and extending through a bore in said closure means, a cap threadably engaging the outer end of said rod, a second plate threadably carried by the inner end of said rod, radial and axial bores in each of said plates, said axial bores .being adapted to align to form intake and discharge passages, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said member, both ends of said tubing coil being secured to the radial bores of said second plate, intake and discharge tubes communicating with the radial bores of said first plate and with openings in said closure means whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

' 3. Apparatus for supporting and heating or cooling a member within a closed vessel having an aperture in said vessel, comprising closure means adapted to removably seal said aperture, vacuum seal means associated with said aperture and said closure means, a tube fitting rigidly secured to said closure means and adapted to be positioned within said vessel, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said member, said coil being coupled to said fitting, and intake and discharge tubes communicating with said fitting and with bores in said closure means whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

4. Apparatus for supporting and heating or cooling a member within a closed vessel having anaperture in said vessel, comprising closure means adapted to removably seal said aperture, vacuum seal means associated with said aperture and said closure means, a tubular adapted to close said port and having heat transfer fluid inlet and outlet openings, vacuum seal means associated with said port and said plate, means supporting a tube fitting within said tank, heat transfer fluid tubes communicating with said fitting and with said openings, and heat transfer fluid tubes communicating with said fitting and secured in supporting relation to said liner.

6. In a oalutron having a tank structure and an inner liner, a port in said tank, a plate adapted to close said port, a tube fitting rigidly secured to said plate and adapted to be positioned within said tank, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said liner, said coil being coupled to said fitting, and intake and discharge tubes communicating with said fitting and with bores in said plate whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

7. In a calutron having a tank structure and an inner liner, a port in said tank, closure means adapted to removably seal said port, a tubular member rigidly secured to the inner side of said closure means and extending into said tank, a first plate rigidly secured to the inner end of said tubular member, a rod disposed within said tubular member and extending through a bore in said closure means, a cap threadably engaging the outer end of said rod, a second plate threadably carried by the inner end of said rod, radial and axial bores in each of said plates, said axial bores being adapted to align to form intake and discharge passages, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relationand supporting relation to said liner, both ends of said tubing coil being secured to the radial bores of said second plate, intake and discharge tubes communicating with the radial bores of said first plate and with openings in said closure means whereby a heat transfer fluid may be circulated through said coil.

- 8. In a calutron having a tank structure and an inner liner, a tube fitting rigidly supported by a wall of said tank structure, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said liner, said tubing coil connected to said fitting whereby said liner is supported from said wall.

9. In a calutron having a tank structure and an inner liner, a tube fitting rigidly supported by a wall of said tank structure, a tubing coil secured in good heat exchange relation and supporting relation to said liner, said tubing coil connected to said fitting whereby said liner is supported from said wall, and means for circulating heat transfer fluid through said coil to control the temperature of said liner.

No references cited. 

